FOR USE AS DESIRED
NFL-PRE-1         8/2/99

That’s what’s on the schedule this weekend as the NFL kicks off its preseason – in preparation for its 80th regular season – with two nationally televised games in cities separated by 14 times zones.

In Canton, Ohio -- the birthplace of pro football -- and Sydney, Australia – the capital of New South Wales – NFL football will be played. In each city, for different reasons, interest will be high.

In Canton, it’s the debut -- call it re-debut -- of the Cleveland Browns, the first expansion team with a history. The Browns, who produced so many memorable NFL moments from 1950-95, will play their first game as the new Browns in the annual Pro Football Hall of Fame Game on Monday night, August 9 against the Dallas Cowboys (ABC-TV, 8:00 PM ET).

It will be the first time the Hall of Fame Game – normally played on Saturday afternoon – will be on a Monday in prime time. And the game will include the NFL’s new instant replay system.

It is appropriate that the new Browns return on Monday night. In 1970, the "old" Browns took part in the first NFL Monday-night game ever (a 31-21 victory over the New York Jets on September 21 at Cleveland Municipal Stadium). This is Monday Night Football’s 30th season.

The weekend – Canton will celebrate with an 11-day festival that brings an estimated $12 million local economic impact – is highlighted with the induction of the Hall of Fame class of ’99.

Televised live by ESPN2 beginning at 1:00 PM ET (with highlights on the Monday-night telecast), the induction ceremonies will be packed with nostalgia and symbolism. Enshrined will be ERIC DICKERSON, TOM MACK, OZZIE NEWSOME, BILLY SHAW and LAWRENCE TAYLOR.

Newsome spent his entire 13-year career with the Browns. The former tight end, who is the NFL career leader at the position with 662 catches (for 7,980 yards), thinks it is the perfect year to be entering the Hall.

"Getting the opportunity to go in when the Browns are going back on the field makes it that much better," he says.

Shaw’s induction comes at a perfect time too. This is the 40th season of the former American Football League teams. And Shaw, named to the AFL’s all-time team, will be the first Hall member to spend his entire career with an AFL club (Buffalo Bills from 1961-69).

There will be so much history recalled in Canton during the weekend that the coach of the team that will face the Browns – and when was the last time the Dallas Cowboys were considered the other team? – will take his players on a tour of the Hall of Fame the day of the game.

"I want them to see what has been done and what’s possible," says Cowboys head coach CHAN GAILEY.

As one more added touch to the weekend, the Cowboys and Browns will hold open-to-the-fans practice sessions at Fawcett Stadium, site of the game, on Sunday. Fans will receive specially-created commemorative cards autographed by a Browns or Cowboys player.

On the other side of the globe…there is no pro football history, so the Denver Broncos and San Diego Chargers are ready to create it.

Almost as awaited as the identities of the Pro Football Hall of Fame class every year are the names of the "presenters" of those inductees on their special day.

One of this year’s inductees, former Cleveland Brown OZZIE NEWSOME, chose the man he modeled himself after as a rookie in 1978, Browns running back CALVIN HILL. Hill is now a consultant to the Dallas Cowboys, the team the Browns play in Monday’s Hall of Fame game.

"Calvin came to the Browns my rookie year," says Newsome. "He was a mentor for me, and has been for some time."

The Boncos and Chargers meet in an American Bowl (televised in the U.S. by FOX on Saturday at 9:00 PM ET) at Stadium Australia in Sydney, site of the 2000 Summer Olympics. It is the first NFL game to be sanctioned and supported by a host government (New South Wales) and also the first live NFL prime-time game to be televised across 14 time zones.

"It’s a long trip," says Broncos owner PAT BOWLEN. "But to get the opportunity to play in Sydney in the new Olympic stadium and be one of the first to play there -- that’s special."

The Broncos, who this season seek to become the first team to win three consecutive Super Bowls, will set a record for 1999 just by landing in Sydney. Their trip from Denver to Australia covers 8,353 miles – or 16,706 miles round-trip – and is the longest road trip for any NFL team this year in preseason or regular season.

As NFL fans know, the Chargers have a player who is used to making that sort of journey – punter DARREN BENNETT. The five-year NFL veteran – a former Australian Rules player for West Coast and Melbourne -- was born in Sydney. He has served as an international spokesperson for the NFL in Australia and has organized coaching clinics there with NFL players.

The NFL weekend includes two other preseason contests – Indianapolis at Chicago and Oakland at St. Louis – both on Saturday night. The games in the states will include the introduction of the NFL’s new instant replay system that will be used throughout the regular season. Every preseason game – other than the Sydney American Bowl – will have instant replay.

They were some of the originals to play the game, back in the NFL’s early days. They did it so well, they are now enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. So who better, as Hall of Fame weekend and the new millenium approaches, to assess today’s best players than some of yesterday’s?

Three oldest-living Hall of Famers at their positions – and one second-oldest living – pick their best of the bunch of today’s NFL crop:

• CLARENCE "ACE" PARKER – Oldest-living Hall of Fame quarterback (87 years old) thinks today’s QBs "have much better receivers. They are trained to be receivers. In my era, they were trained to be ends and weren’t split out. They’re much quicker and faster today." Parker chooses today’s top five quarterbacks:

• DANTE LAVELLI – Oldest-living Hall of Fame end (76) chooses today’s top five wide receivers:

1. 1946 AAFC Championship Game – Browns won first of four straight AAFC titles, 14-9 against New York Yankees (12/22/46).

2. 1950 season opener – Browns won 35-10 in first-ever NFL game vs. defending NFL champion Philadelphia Eagles (9/16/50).

3. 1950 NFL Championship Game – Browns beat Los Angeles Rams 30-28 for first NFL title (12/24/50).

4. 1955 Championship Game – Browns beat Los Angeles Rams 38-14 for second straight NFL title (12/26/55).

5. November 23, 1947 – Browns trailed New York Yankees 28-0 at halftime, but came back to earn 28-28 tie.

1. 1986 AFC Divisional Playoff – Browns defeat New York Jets 23-20 in double overtime (1/3/87).

2. November 23, 1986 – Browns beat Pittsburgh Steelers 37-31 in overtime on Bernie Kosar's 36-yard touchdown pass.

3. October 23, 1989 – Browns beat Chicago Bears 27-7 on Monday Night Football.

4. November 13, 1972 – Browns beat Chargers 21-17 on MNF. "I took a nap after school so I could stay up and watch."

5. October 19, 1980 – Browns beat Green Bay Packers 26-21 on DAVE LOGAN’s one-handed catch in corner of endzone.

AMERICAN BOWL AT SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA – DENVER BRONCOS VS. SAN DIEGO CHARGERS

BRONCOS: Play in seventh American Bowl, matching Cowboys & 49ers for most international appearances since series began in 1986……Seek to become first team to win three consecutive Super Bowls. Club has won 46 regular & postseason game over past three seasons – best three-year total in league history……Head coach MIKE SHANAHAN has led Broncos to 54-18 mark (including playoffs) in four seasons. His .875 postseason win pct. (7-1) ranks second in NFL history to VINCE LOMBARDI (.900, 9-1)……QB BUBBY BRISTER replaces retired all-time NFL win leader (148) & Super Bowl XXXIII MVP JOHN ELWAY……1998 Associated Press MVP RB TERRELL DAVIS (2,008) had one of four 2,000-yard rushing seasons in NFL history. Davis career averages of 105.1 rush yards per game & .92 rush TDs per game both tops in NFL history……CHARGERS: Play in third American Bowl (1-1)……New head coach MIKE RILEY had 2-1 overseas record with San Antonio Riders of World League (1991-92)……New QB JIM HARBAUGH (Trade, Ravens) has passed for 22,111 yards & 111 TDs in 12 NFL seasons…… San Diego one of 2 AFC clubs (Jets) to have 2 defenders voted ’99 Pro Bowl starters (S RODNEY HARRISON & LB JUNIOR SEAU)…… Chargers had NFL’s best defense in ’98 (263.0). Rush defense (71.3) & yards per carry avg. (2.7) also led league. Club did not allow 100-yard rusher last season……Sydney, Australia-native P DARREN BENNETT played for West Coast of Australian Football League from 1987-88 and for Melbourne from 1988-93. Bennett’s 44.71 career punting avg. ranks second in NFL history (SAMMY BAUGH, 45.10).

COWBOYS: Make first HOF game appearance since 1979……QB TROY AIKMAN is third all-time with 61.81 career completion percentage. Needs 1,654 passing yards for 30,000 career……In two career games vs. Browns, RB EMMITT SMITH has rushed for 224 yards on 58 carries (112.0/game) & 1 TD. Smith (134) needs 12 TDs to pass MARCUS ALLEN (145) into second all-time. Needs 174 rushing yards to pass TONY DORSETT (12,739) for fourth on all-time rushing list & 694 to pass ’99 HOF inductee ERIC DICKERSON (13,259) into third place.……WR MICHAEL IRVIN needs 263 receiving yards for 12,000 career & 60 receptions for 800 lifetime……CB DEION SANDERS (8) needs 1 INT-TD return to tie KEN HOUSTON (9) for all-time record……BROWNS: Make fifth appearance in HOF Game – more than any other NFL club……Browns have 14 primary enshrinees (most of career with club) in PFHOF – tied for fourth-most in NFL history……1999 PFHOF inductee & former Brown OZZIE NEWSOME (1978-90) is NFL all-time TE reception leader (662)……TY DETMER (Trade with S.F.) starts at QB & will be followed by 1999 No. 1 overall draft choice TIM COUCH……LB CHRIS SPIELMAN (Trade with Buff.) starred at Massillon Washington High School in nearby Massillon, OH……In survey of ’99 new NFL head coaches , DT JOHN JURKOVIC chosen as funniest ever coached by Browns’ CHRIS PALMER and Bears’ DICK JAURON.

Thursday, August 12

San Diego (AFC) at San Francisco (NFC), 5:00
Baltimore (AFC) at Philadelphia (NFC), 8:00

Friday, August 13

Detroit (NFC) at Atlanta (NFC), 7:30
Carolina (NFC) at Jacksonville (AFC), 7:30
Chicago (NFC) at Pittsburgh (AFC), 7:30
Washington (NFC) at New England (AFC), 7:30
New Orleans (NFC) at Miami (AFC), 7:30
N.Y. Giants (NFC) at Minnesota (NFC), 7:00

Saturday, August 14

Cleveland (AFC) at Tampa Bay (NFC), 8:00
N.Y. Jets (AFC) at Green Bay (NFC), 7:00
Cincinnati (AFC) at Indianapolis (AFC), 7:00
Arizona (NFC) at Denver (AFC), 7:00
Buffalo (AFC) at Seattle (AFC), 6:00

Sunday, August 15

Dallas (NFC) at Oakland (AFC), 1:00
Tennessee (AFC) at Kansas City (AFC), 7:30
Open date: St. Louis